Some reading this may not be old enough to remember the Gatorade commercial and overly catchy jingle “Be Like Mike.” The advertisement aired in 1991 and showed clips of Michael Jordan doing otherworldly basketball shots, as well as hanging out with kids who, seemingly and for good reason, wanted to be like him. Well, over the past 50-plus years, bass fishing has produced several of its own Michael Jordans.
Rick Clunn certainly comes to mind. What angler wouldn’t want to have a 50-year professional career, four Bassmaster Classic titles and 16 wins? There’s Greg Hackney, Kevin VanDam, Mike Iaconelli and Aaron Martens. These guys have done things with a rod and reel that equate to half-court shots and a dunk from the free-throw line.
That said, I recently met a fisherman that I want to be like. Actually, I have a strange tug within my soul that makes me need to be like him.
Unlike the anglers mentioned above, Jimmy Bennett is not a professional angler. The Texas native has the passion to be one. He’s been fishing ever since he can remember. However, he has married his love of fishing with a different calling. It all started in June of 2018 when Bennett was hosting a family fishing trip with a 6-year-old girl who had been diagnosed with DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma), a highly aggressive, malignant brain tumor. The little girl caught fish and had a blast. “This is the best day ever,” she said. “Can you help me not die?”
It’s hard enough to read her plea. Imagine hearing it. This touched Bennett’s heart, changed his life. Soon after, he started a nonprofit organization, the JMB Fishing Foundation (jmbfishing.org), to not only raise awareness of childhood cancer (only 4% of cancer research funds are allocated to children’s cancer), but fundraise for cancer patient families and create lasting memories for these kids who simply may not have many more memories to make.
There are hundreds of examples of the impact Bennett has made in the lives of children. Deana Miller, whose son was suddenly stricken with a debilitating illness shares just one: “Mr. Jimmy learned of Daniel and his disease and took him on a special fishing trip. It was the first time Daniel had ridden on a boat. That night, we saw a smile on Daniel that we hadn’t seen in an incredibly long time. Parents of a child fighting disease and tragedy have united so many families in ways no one else could understand. And that is just our story … it’s one of countless.”
When I met Bennett, he shared with me that there were dozens of children he fished with that were now angels. I had a strong feeling that I was listening to the voice of an earthly one. Through his foundation and through working with C.A.S.T. for Kids (castforkids.org), an organization that focuses on getting children with special needs to the water’s edge, Bennett has made a profound difference in the lives of families who are facing their darkest hours. So yes, he is my Michael Jordan. I’ll never win a Classic. I’ll never fish an Elite Series event. But I can make an impact that’s more important … and so can you. Visit his website and donate or, more importantly, donate your time, passion and expertise. Let’s all give back. Let’s all try to #BeLikeJimmy.